Collecting WEG Minatures

[darthskellington]

Well, I've decided to start a new collection. It's the last thing I need, but now ranks on the things I want.

I'm starting a collection of West End Games (WEG) Star Wars Miniatures. These were used for the miniatures RPG, and were produced approx. from 1988-1996. You know the old Kenner Micro Playset die-cast figurines? Well, these are basically the same thing, albeit somewhat smaller scale, and didn't come painted.

I don't know anything about the old rpg's, I know almost nothing about the new rpg's or miniatures. I just thought I would be neat to have a collection of these figs, which I could paint and display.

I figure I have between now and eternity to work on completeing a set.

 

[darthskellington]

If anyone has any of these that they would like to sell (I don't have much to trade ), please drop me a line. I plan on painting my own, so paint is not really an issue. Price is an issue. I don't have money to spare. I'm looking for a mutually fair price that is not more than what I could pay on eBay.

I like to pick them up in sets, but that's also where i need help.

I've found that there were 14-15 boxed sets of figures. Most of these were also available blister carded in groups of three or so. What I don't know is Which ones were only availble in sets, or only available on cards. Some are obvious, it's the Lukes and Stormtroopers and Rebels that are hard to determine sight unseen.

I found a great site with a pretty comprehensive checklist, but it doesn't tell which carded ones and boxed ones are identical.

http://www.sandcrawler.com/SWB/westend.html

Tomart's corroborates their list, but Sandcrawler is a little more detailed and probably more accurate.

I figure there are roughly 150 figures, plus a few small vehicles creatures.

If any one can help me match up carded ones to boxed ones, I'd appreciate it. I'd hate to buy blister cards, only to find out there's one fig you can only get in the boxed set.

Well, that's my call for help. I'm looking for info and for figs. Thanks

 

[r2dee2]

This page may help you a LITTLE in you research...
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~tpope/sol/west-end-games/star-wars.html

The SW Collector's Bible is usually right on.

 

[darthskellington]

Oh wow.....thanks R2 That'll just about do the trick.

Nice to hear from you too. It's been a looooong time since I've seen you here at the Spy. Have you been here all along and just been quiet

I think you were in Europe last time around. I recall because i had just joined the Spy and and was meeting everyone for the first time.

 

[r2dee2]

darthskelington, what a memory you have !

I joined the Spy about the same time as you did and DO check in from time to time, but only add something if I feel I have something useful to add......AND I did move to Hawaii this year, so the move and being offline while waiting for my computer to make the trek across the ocean, made me a less frequent contributor.

When I check in, I always find your posts to be VERY comprehensive and informative and I really enjoy reading them

I do have a few of the "boxed" sets of the WEG miniatures and find them to really be weighty. Since they are unpainted, I don't quite like them as much as say, the painted "Action Masters" series....
Action Masters although I know this is comparing apples to oranges

In your hunt for some of the miniatures, this site may be useful....
http://www.westendgames.com/html/links.html

Good luck in your quest.

 

[darthskellington]

Thanks again. I am a wealth of useless knowledge. I'm glad someone enjoys my efforts

I'm going to have to curb my WEG enthusiasm for a while. I just spent $25 I shouldn't have spent completing my Nightmare Before Christmas Tiny Kingdom set. After nearly 4 years of biding my time, I finally snagged the two Jack Skellington figurines. That, and I'm going to have to conjure up some money to have a wisdom tooth pulled

On the plus side, I learned a lot from your Action Masters page. I never knew that Fett had two different paint jobs. I still need Leia and Ben from the 4-pack for my set. Again, biding my time. It's gotta be cheap. I actually snagged an Action Masters 6-Pack on eBay for $2, as a gift for a friend. (of course, shipping brought it up to $7....the horror

 

[darthskellington]

Well, shorlty after X-Mas I bought a box set of ten Rebel Characters. After a few weeks, I finished painting them. I'll try and post pics soon. Sadly, my internet access is still limited to the neighbors computer And it may have to stay that way a little longer.....I just realized the front tires on my car are balder than Telly Sevalas

 

[darthskellington]

Rebel Characters

Well, here are some pics of the Rebel Characters set. It contains:

SW71 Old Senatorial (Sallen Fandel)
SW72 Alien Student of the Force (Fendu Tisk)
SW73 Female Minor Jedi (Sasha Pancho)
SW74 Wookiee (Garwooken)
SW75 Ewok (Bandi)
SW76 Mon Calimari (Aquar)
SW77 Engineer (Wodi Eraani)
SW78 Male Minor Jedi (Xavier Dade)
SW79 Female Gambler (Finn Jarpane)
SW80 Kid (Kalvin)

Some of these are based on movie characters or concepts, so I painted them accordingly. The Alien Student is modeled after a cantina alien concept (see SW Galaxy cards series 1). The Wookiee is from a McQuarrie Chewbacca concept, with clothing and gloves. I added some bronze paint to tie in with ROTS battle armor. Lastly, the engineer is modeled after the Bespin ice cream maker guy, right down to the mustache.

 

[darthskellington]

Re: Rebel Characters

I had a great time painting these, although now that I do the math, I probably spent two hours per figure!

I've got a Cantina Characters set that should be arriving in the mail any day now, so I'll post those when the time comes.

I've also got the Rancor and Keeper, which I've had for ten years now. Post those pics soon.

 

[darthskellington]

Mos Eisley Cantina

I finally got around to finishing painting my Mos Eisley Cantina set. It includes:

SW81 Hem Dazon
SW82 Labria
SW83 Garindan
SW84 Kerru (now known as Felipern Trevagg)
SW85 Sivrak
SW86 Kabe
SW87 Muftak
SW88 Cantina Band Member
SW89 Cantina Band Leader (Figrin D'an)
SW90 Bartender (Cedo Partu) (now known as Wuher)


I painted these a clsoe to movie likenesses as possible. Felitpern's outfit is based more on his concept art with the fur-lined shoulder pads. Everthing else seems pretty normal. They gave Muftak a bandolier and stubby tail.

 

[AmShak]

so, do they have a little cantina to hang out in?

 

[darthskellington]

Nope I need to pick up those diorama model kits some time too. I think it's about the right size. These guys will probably go back in the box for safe keeping until I have enough to display in a case.

 

[darthskellington]

If I'm not mistaken....there are five diorama model kits..some vintage...some 1990s. Two Battle of Hoths (snowfield and rebel hangar) whhc are tiny scale. Jabba' Palace and Cantina..which should be approx. Miniatures scale. and Yoda Hut with Luke & Yoda that is larger.

 

[darthskellington]

Bounty Hunters #2

Here is a pic of Bounty Hunters #2, a blister-card 3-pack. They are also available as part of the larger Bounty Hunters box set. I finally got around to doing the final paint details.

SW24 Dengar
SW25 Zardra
SW26 Bossk

No gaming stats come with the blister cards.

Many thanks to my friend Adam for sending me these!

 

[Darth Boru]

cool stuff Skel. Did you get hold of those dioramas? it'd be great to see these guys in place in one of those!

 

[darthskellington]

No model dios yet...I'll have to do an ebay hunt.


UPDATE: Just bought a cantina dio model on ebay for $9.99...Free shipping

Guess I know what I'll be painting next week.

 

[Darth Boru]

Cool - cant wait to see the result!

 

[darthskellington]

Cantina Model Kit

Received my Cantina in the mail today. Looks like it hs great potential. It's actually a smaller scale....closer to the size of the Micro Machines figures. Here's a picture of the unpainted base with my WEG minis in it.

 

[AmShak]

ah... the original cantina, not the one that appears in the "Inside the Worlds of Star Wars" book.